Preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection with monoclonal antibodies combination of tixagevimab and cilgavimab
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Reviewed by Dat Tien Nguyen, B.A, ScM.
Translated by An Duc Thien Le |
Posted on March 27th, 2023
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To prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, immunization is the most effective method. However, certain individuals cannot be vaccinated due to immunocompetency problems. Thus, the AstraZeneca pharmaceutical company had sponsored a study to assess the effectiveness of the monoclonal antibody combination of tixagevimab and cilgavimab in preventing COVID-19.
The study included 5197 adults who had high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2. These study participants were randomly assigned to receive an intramuscular injection of either placebo or 300 mg of the tixagevimab and cilgavimab combination. The study participants were followed up for year, and the study found that the combination of tixgevimab and cilgavimab help reduce the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 infection by 82.8%, 6 months after treatment, and the risk is reduced to 76.7% after 1 year. This relatively long effect is because these two antibodies can be found in the serum after 6 months post injection. In vitro study showed that the antibodies combination is effective at neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 virus of the BA.1 subvariant of the Omicron variant; however, the neutralizing efficiency against the Omicron BA.2 subvariant was low.
The study included 5197 adults who had high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2. These study participants were randomly assigned to receive an intramuscular injection of either placebo or 300 mg of the tixagevimab and cilgavimab combination. The study participants were followed up for year, and the study found that the combination of tixgevimab and cilgavimab help reduce the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 infection by 82.8%, 6 months after treatment, and the risk is reduced to 76.7% after 1 year. This relatively long effect is because these two antibodies can be found in the serum after 6 months post injection. In vitro study showed that the antibodies combination is effective at neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 virus of the BA.1 subvariant of the Omicron variant; however, the neutralizing efficiency against the Omicron BA.2 subvariant was low.